Gentleshaw wildlife centre has been at its base in Eccleshall since 1993. A licenced Zoo, the sanctuary has been caring for unwanted and rescued exotic animals for over 32 years. Over 150 Primates, birds of prey, parrots, raccoons and more, call the sanctuary home. Eccleshall residents undisturbed by their often raucous, exotic neighbours. Alongside it’s rescue work, Gentleshaw is also a hospital for the treatment and rehabilitation of wild, injured, birds of prey. Casualties in need, found in the local area, are rehabilitated and returned to the countryside surrounding the sanctuary.
The proposal by Bloor Homes for 480 new homes, surrounding the centre will be a double whammy for the wildlife in and around the sanctuary. On site, the noise, disruption, security, flooding will all have a baring not only on the animal residents of Gentleshaw, but the volunteers and visitors who support the sanctuary every day. Off site, despite reports of the greenfield sites having no environmental value and being ‘sterile’ of wildlife, the wildlife that does call the surrounding habitat home, will be displaced, permanently. A few green spaces with a park bench on amongst the 100s of homes, will not be of any benefit to the wild Kestrel, who watches out across acres of farmland to find his food. Nor will the wild Tawny owls, calling each night from their mature trees, find safety or food sources amongst the streets fragmenting their natural habitat. The wild Red Kites, who’s presence has become part of the furniture, will cease to hunt the grounds once rich in food source, replaced with bricks and mortar. Whilst those unfamiliar or unwilling to observe the area may find it lacking in biodiversity, those of us that have spent decades living and working in the area, are all to aware of the irrevocable damage adding so many homes to such a vast site will have on the flora and fauna.
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